Islamabad: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said the federal government had decided to take legal action against the unconstitutional move of Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

KP CM Mehmood Khan used his position unconstitutionally by attacking the federation, he said in a statement issued here.

The CM's participation along with armed police officers in PTI’s ‘Fitna March’ was tantamount to an attack on the federation, he said.

The minister said opinion has been sought from law ministry for constitutional action against the KP CM.

Action would be taken in light of legal opinion obtained from the law ministry, he added.
The minister said federal government employees stationed at KPK have facilitated the PTI’s ‘Fitna March’. It was also decided to take action against them under the Estacode.

He said it has decided to take action against such officers for using their positions against the law. In KP, some federal police and administration officers became stooge of a political party, he said.

SOURCE: APP

Islamabad: Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor here on Friday assured the National Assembly that the government was negotiating with the quarters concerned to further bring down the expenses of Hajj-2022 below Rs. 6,50,000.

In a policy statement in the House, he said, “I am still negotiating with the Saudi government and other quarters concerned to further reduce the expenses of upcoming Hajj from 650,000 aimed at extending maximum facilities to intending pilgrims in performing the religious obligation.”

He said the Ministry of Religious Affairs had hired the residential buildings in Makkah at the rate of 2100 Saudi Riyal against the rate of 3600 Riyal paid in 2019 by the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He said his ministry had hired buildings in Madina-tul-Munawara at 720 Riyal against the rate of 2100 Riyal paid in 2019. He said Saudi Arabia had fixed 9500 Riyal expense for each intending pilgrim of D-Category against 5500 Riyal.” Had there the PTI government, the expense of Hajj would have been Rs 1100,000 per pilgrim,” he added.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the expense of the upcoming Hajj had been brought down to Rs 65,000 and efforts were underway to further reduce it,” he said.

He said expense of the food and transport had also been reduced by the government of Saudi Arabia on the request of Pakistan. The minister said soon after assuming the charge, he was shocked to see when his ministry briefed him about the exorbitant expense of Hajj.

“I made it clear that I will prefer to resign and leave the government rather announcing the expensive hajj.” Mufti Abdul Shakoor said his leader Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman had also directed him to reduce the expense of the hajj.

He also assured that the corruption committed in his Ministry by the previous government would be dug out and shared with the House.

The minister said a comprehensive and affordable package for Umrah and Ziaraat would soon be introduced.

He vowed that an affordable package for the minorities would also be introduced soon to facilitate them in visiting their sacred and religious places.

Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan refused rumors of any deal with the establishment for calling off a sit-in in Islamabad, saying that he had not struck a deal with anyone and had thought about the country only.

Addressing a press conference along with Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan, Imran Khan said that he wrapped up his plans to stage a sit-in to avoid a bloodbath. “Had I sat there that day, there would have been a bloodbath,” he said.

Imran Khan said that it was not difficult for him to stage a sit-in till the toppling of the government. "We will come to Islamabad with full preparation if elections were not announced in six days," he added.

He also admitted that his arrival in Islamabad was delayed by barricades and that the PTI was not prepared to deal with the police. Especially, after the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued an order, allowing PTI to hold a rally in Islamabad, it was expecting barricades to be removed, he said.

He announced to challenge the Election (Amendment) Bill in court. "It is a violation of the basic right to deprive the overseas Pakistanis of a basic right," he maintained.

The PTI chairman said that it cannot happen in the world that a man released on bail can become the prime minister.